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00:00:01
Arctic Army Roll Call Episode 2!
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The guys welcome back John "Big Daddy" Starek, Director of Operations for Arctic Snow and Ice Control, to the show to take us through Arctic's enormous equipment fleet, and how they have built a system that benefits not just Arctic, but all snow contractors who want to get involved. John takes us from the early days to the monster Arctic is now, and how their equipment and the products they have developed have spearheaded that rise!
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Transcript
Introduction of Episode and Key Guest
00:00:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Here we go, Snow Jobs Nation. We are off and running with episode two of the Arctic Army Roll Call. As always, I'm Steve. And you know who's with me.
00:00:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Jeremy Lindstrom can't do it without him. He's here tonight. We have the big man back. Big daddy himself, John Snarek, director of operations for Arctic Snow and Ice Control.
00:00:56
RICK JAMES
Big Daddy.
00:01:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
And we're going to continue that conversation we were having with him in episode one.
Arctic Snow and Ice Control Experience
00:01:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right. There's so much information, guys. These guys have been doing it. Arctic's been doing it for 40, over 40 years.
00:01:11
Big daddy
Over 40 years.
00:01:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Over 40 years, there's a lot of information we have to pull out.
00:01:13
Big daddy
Closer to 50 almost now.
00:01:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
John's been over 30 with him, right? John, how long?
00:01:19
Big daddy
33.
00:01:20
RICK JAMES
33.
00:01:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
33. A lot of information, a lot of finding out what works and what doesn't. So, you know, and we got to pull it out of this guy and he's so hard to get to talk. You know, he doesn't want to open up.
00:01:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:01:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah he's
00:01:33
RICK JAMES
It's really quiet.
00:01:35
Big daddy
You're so bloody shit.
00:01:35
RICK JAMES
Really quiet.
00:01:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:01:38
Big daddy
ah
00:01:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
But no, seriously, these guys have been doing this a long time. They've learned what works, what doesn't work. They've honed their craft and they're willing to share it with us. So this is 33 years of acquired knowledge and we're going to hear all about it. We're going to continue
Current Snow Conditions and Fleet Overview
00:01:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
with John tonight. So John, big daddy, welcome back to the snow jobs, brother. How are you?
00:01:56
Big daddy
Oh, thanks, boys. Thanks a lot.
00:01:58
RICK JAMES
no
00:01:58
Big daddy
Good to see you guys again. I'm ah um'm getting there. I can finally take a breath. We got everything all set up. We're ready to rock and roll, and Mother Nature decides she wants to step up to the plate and do something.
00:02:07
RICK JAMES
No.
00:02:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
No pushes yet.
00:02:07
RICK JAMES
Yes,
00:02:08
Big daddy
ah No, no pushes yet. A few saltings. In fact, I got one in ah in a few hours. We're going to go out and get salt and for it, because we got a lot of coating coming in tonight.
00:02:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right.
00:02:15
Big daddy
So temperatures are right.
00:02:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right. Well, we won't hold you too long then, hopefully.
00:02:19
RICK JAMES
yes sir.
00:02:21
Big daddy
No, we'll try and keep this under three hours.
00:02:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
But ah we'll just get right into this. We'll just get into it, John. um Everybody, if you've seen anything Arctic, you know that Arctic has a seemingly endless supply of equipment.
00:02:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
400 and something machines. I could be wrong with that. But I mean, it keeps going and going. You got a mile of runway with machines triple stacked and that's still not enough. So how? There has to be a benefit clearly of doing it that way that you guys are turning over your fleet every year, every two years.
00:02:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Do you want to talk about that? Just enlighten us to why that is, why Arctic does it that way.
00:02:56
Big daddy
That's actually top secret. We can't discuss it. Move on to the next question.
00:02:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
OK, well, then that would that would that'll do it for episode two.
00:02:59
RICK JAMES
ah Next question.
00:03:05
RICK JAMES
Oh,
00:03:05
Big daddy
It's 568 pieces this year.
00:03:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Holy crap.
00:03:09
Big daddy
It keeps increasing every year.
00:03:09
RICK JAMES
oh Jesus.
00:03:12
Big daddy
um This thing started out many moons ago with a different brand of equipment.
00:03:13
RICK JAMES
Jesus.
00:03:18
Big daddy
We had picked up 13 of them. And random that season, the next year we got 21 and that manufacturer came out, did a big article on it going snow contractor steps up to the plate, buys 21 pieces of equipment and da da da da. And it was the whole big thing. The paper is still hanging in the office at the shop. And now this is like absolutely insane. We purchased an airport, a decommissioned airport back in, uh, I believe it was 1989.
Showcasing Equipment and Strategy
00:03:49
Big daddy
and it has a mile long runway. And I would spend four days out there lining every piece of equipment up on a 45 degree angle next to each other to do a video. You could not shoot a picture. Randy had a buddy of his that had a helicopter, took him out in the helicopter, shot out for a panoramic view. He had to get so far out to get it all in the picture. It looked like a yellow blurb. It didn't even look like any piece of equipment.
00:04:19
Big daddy
So if you go on YouTube and click mile long of equipment, that is so outdated and so old, you watch it and as you're driving, I was driving down the runway and Randy is on top of a Cuban, I'm on top of one of these Penske rental trucks laying flat with his eight millimeter video camera, you know, the ones they use for the couch casting calls back in the day.
00:04:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:04:41
RICK JAMES
who
00:04:44
RICK JAMES
Of course.
00:04:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:04:47
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:04:47
Big daddy
He's got one of these suckers.
00:04:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:04:49
Big daddy
He's laying on top of the thing, trying to get a good shot.
00:04:50
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:04:52
Big daddy
It wasn't working right. So he took his then Mercedes, opens the sunroof. He's laying out the top of the sunroof, got his elbows on the windshield, his knees in the back of my head, because he's trying to hold himself in place.
00:05:05
Big daddy
And we're driving at a pace down the runway filming this. And of course, then we throw this onto our video when we have it at the different trade shows. And right away you get your heaters.
00:05:16
Big daddy
Oh, you just looped a video. That's the same thing all the way down. I'm like, ah, look at the background. The background is changing. Look at it. Then we got into loaders. Then we got into the trucks. Then we got into the salt trucks.
00:05:27
Big daddy
Then we got into the service trucks. So they saw everything that we had going there with this mile long thing of equipment. I couldn't even imagine trying to do anything like that now with everything that we have.
00:05:39
Big daddy
I literally have parking lot stripes.
00:05:39
RICK JAMES
I wish you would.
00:05:42
Big daddy
down the south side of the runway that every machine gets parked in. We have taken out so much dirt to put asphalt millings in, to have enough parking on the opposite side. There's three and four deep there. This season, and we'll get into the program and all that, but with the way the program runs, we have what we have, we sell it off, we take trade-ins back, we sell them off again, we keep rotating. We had over 1,800 units.
00:06:11
Big daddy
come through our facility this year.
00:06:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Need a bigger airport
00:06:14
RICK JAMES
Jesus.
00:06:14
Big daddy
To get detailed and washed, to get touched up and painted, to get shipped out, it's ridiculous. There is a whole cleaning crew staff, the whole deal, we kind of touched on that in the last episode, but it's just, it has gone from John and a bucket of soapy water washing a few floors and vacuuming out a few sunflower seeds out of some machines to having entire groups of people to strictly clean this stuff and to ah to get stuff painted and touched up and you know that kind of thing it's just it's fucking wild man it's wild yeah yeah yeah all the new runways they're trying to put in they wouldn't give up any space so let's touch on the subject that you asked me on the question is is there a reason we turn over the fleet well sure if you had the opportunity to get a new car every year wouldn't you
00:06:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Time to buy a bigger airport. Can you get O'Hare?
00:06:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh geez.
00:06:56
RICK JAMES
i
00:07:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:07:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:07:07
RICK JAMES
Yep, of course.
00:07:08
Big daddy
Okay, so we do an annuity program with a lot of people. And that's where Denise Leesing came into play. um I'm gonna use some hypothetical numbers here, okay?
00:07:20
Big daddy
I buy a skid steer for 50 grand, all right?
00:07:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
OK.
00:07:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:07:23
Big daddy
I use it for the winter. I then sell it in the spring to the next guy, which is another snow contractor, okay? So you're gonna rent a skid steer.
00:07:36
Big daddy
We're gonna charge you $2,000 a month. It's gonna cost you 10 grand because you got a 5 month minimum. You know right now you're gonna use 10 grand. But if you buy the piece of equipment, I'm gonna tell you when you buy it, hey Steve, we're looking at giving you $5,400 for a trade-in in the spring. Keep it under $200. Don't bang it up, this and that. It's used only for snow.
00:08:06
Big daddy
You're not digging dirt, you're not planting flowers in the garden for your wife, it's used for snow.
00:08:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:08:12
Big daddy
You're already ahead of the game for a grand. So now you take and you trade that back to me and I sell you my next model year. Oh wait, that's a new machine to you again.
00:08:25
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:08:25
Big daddy
Guess who gets to write it off again? And you do that every year.
00:08:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I like that.
00:08:31
Big daddy
It's a write up for you every year. So we go through these units approximately four times.
00:08:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow.
00:08:38
Big daddy
I will have the unit, I'll plow with it. I'll sell it to you in the spring. You give me back your old one. Let's use the number. I got a 25. You're buying my 25. I take your 24 you bought last year, sell it to Jeremy.
00:08:51
Big daddy
Jeremy trades his 23 back into me. Then I sell that to Jordan. Jordan trades is 22 into me and that goes off to a final user. We have, I think it's now, I think it's almost a dozen salesmen now that are selling this stuff all over California, Texas, Utah.
00:09:01
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:09:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Interesting.
Efficiency and Equipment Use
00:09:12
Big daddy
Canada out wherever me need be so this whole thing is Working and moving it's kind of like the grandfather clock you pull that face cover off and you see all those gears and everything going Every one of you guys is a gear in that clock and that clock stops working when something gets jammed up in the gears That's why everybody that's on the program it rotates through and it works for them It works for him because these things aren't getting the ship beat out of them.
00:09:40
Big daddy
They're not digging in dirt. They're not, you know, stressing out the hydraulic systems. You're literally lifting the plow up, putting the plow down and driving it across the parking lot. I think the greatest thing about this stuff too, you know, how many times you see these guys in skid steers running around with the front wheels off the ground a foot and a half because they're using a competitor's plow trying to put that down pressure down on there.
00:09:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh yeah.
00:10:02
Big daddy
Okay.
00:10:02
RICK JAMES
ye
00:10:03
Big daddy
We've had guys say, oh, you can't plow in a track machine. Track machines suck for plowing, not when you use a sectional. That supply supports itself.
00:10:13
Big daddy
It sits on the ground by itself. You have to do nothing to it. You literally hook up the machine, and that is the horsepower to push it across the parking lot.
00:10:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:10:22
Big daddy
If you get into an area where you got that pack, you know all you do is slightly tilt forward. It takes that block from having a memory of being straight and kind of gives it that little S-curve shape, which then triples the pressure just on the cutting edge, not on your shoes. Everybody else that you see running around with that front wheels off the ground is putting all that pressure on those wing shoes. That's not doing any good for the cutting edge. That cutting edge cannot get any closer to the ground than what it is. So that's why the whole combination of that machine works. I can push a 13.5
00:10:58
Big daddy
and some applications of 15.5 with an SV 280, 74 horsepower. No problem.
00:11:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
i believe it
00:11:05
Big daddy
but The place where you're gonna see that little issue is gonna be like at the beginning of the year when you get that wet, heavy shit.
00:11:10
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:11:12
Big daddy
That'll stop anything. You know, Jeremy, you know you stopped your loaders, your 908s and that, with that heavy, wet shit.
00:11:17
RICK JAMES
Oh yeah.
00:11:17
Big daddy
You back up, you take a half a blade, but that's one or two storms at the beginning and one or two at the end of the year.
00:11:18
RICK JAMES
Yep. Yep.
00:11:23
Big daddy
Otherwise, you're pushing fluff and you're pushing that shit for miles with that plow.
00:11:28
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:11:28
Big daddy
You know, the other thing is the way that that plow is designed, that curvature.
00:11:28
RICK JAMES
And just roll on the front here.
00:11:33
Big daddy
Watch that. So roll. So you're not pushing dead weight.
00:11:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:11:39
Big daddy
You know, it's the momentum you're rolling.
00:11:39
RICK JAMES
momentum
00:11:41
Big daddy
It's just pushing along. You're going, you're going.
00:11:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. Absolutely.
00:11:45
Big daddy
So backing up to the equipment again, that program works for everybody because they're able to rotate it out.
00:11:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:11:52
Big daddy
They're able to get a fresh right off every year. They get a fresh serial number every year. And the people that get it at the end are astonished that they got a four year old machine that has like 220 hours on it.
00:12:03
Big daddy
There's 2000 working hours in a year.
00:12:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:12:06
Big daddy
Half the machines out here in Illinois have close to that on them in half a season because these construction guys aren't working in the wintertime.
00:12:16
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:12:16
Big daddy
You know, the whole, the whole big thing was Randy hit a promotion one year. Don't let your equipment sit idle over the winter. put it to work with one of our plows and it showed a picture of a manufacturer's yard with skid steers and wheel owners and everything just covered in snow. Cause nobody used this stuff. When I first started here, we had 50 pickup trucks. Randy would go to auctions for, for Niacore and for ComEd and all that kind of shit and buy all these pickups and up fit them with all these Fisher plows. And everybody had pickups. Well, now you run into the problem of,
00:12:56
Big daddy
That guy is sick. He can't make it in tonight. The picket said his house. Now you got to go find someone else, pick them up, drive into that guy's house to go get the truck. Hope you can get him the answer, the door to get the key so he can come out and plow. Then you fuel them all up at the end of the night. Four or five days go by. It's time for a store and they call you inside. They're getting fuel. So wait a minute. I just fueled you up somewhere. It's written when you start working for the snow contractor, your other vehicle that's parked on the side of the garage. And that's your new second vehicle.
00:13:23
Big daddy
Take the kids to the school, go to the grocery store, go to the bowling alley for a few beers with your buddy, they use your shit. Now with the skid steers, you don't have that anymore.
00:13:33
Big daddy
There's no registration. You've got a inland policy for insurance. That guy don't show up, that machine's sitting on site, the next guy comes, hops in it, and he's going to work and he's going to town.
00:13:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:13:45
Big daddy
That's why the equipment works, that's why the numbers have grown. It's become more efficient to have the equipment out there than it is the trucks. Almost every one of our salt trucks now don't have paws on them.
00:13:58
Big daddy
Now I'm gonna put some paws back on a few just because there's some smaller lots where you gotta pop in and hit and you don't have a piece of equipment close enough.
00:14:05
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:14:06
Big daddy
But otherwise, if you warrant it, you drop a machine on it.
00:14:07
RICK JAMES
Hmm hmm.
00:14:09
Big daddy
You drop a machine here. Hey, I could probably do that with a pickup truck at three and a half hours, but I can knock it out in an hour and a half with a skid, drop a skid there and give that guy the shopping center a mile and a half down the road.
00:14:21
Big daddy
This place don't open till 10, have them do the shopping center, pop over here, knock that out.
00:14:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:14:25
Big daddy
Everything's done by 7 a.m. You know, it's one of those deals. Wheel loaders. Now we have the grace and glory of having ah the factory that produces these amazing plows.
00:14:36
Big daddy
and we have multiples at different places. So I'm knocking this out, I'm headed down the road, I'm grabbing another plow, I'm hooking up, I'm going to help that guy finish. Now I don't need three wheel loaders and two skid steers at this property. I got one wheel loader and a skid steer here. Skid's pulling all the tiny shit out, wheel loaders hogging the main drives. This guy's down the street doing his lot, this guy's over here. They're both done, they drop their blades, they run over, they hook onto the extra blades, they help knock the rest of the lot out. Everybody's done, guys get ours, it's great.
00:15:06
Big daddy
you know we talked about it before too we went to giving our guys a minimum they get a minimum three hours to come out to work now because the plows are so efficient with these machines and this combination they're getting done way too early and it's like oh man I'm done already what the hell did I come out for this is now enabling us like we are a plowing contractor that salts
00:15:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome.
00:15:34
Big daddy
We are not a salting contractor that plows. There's a big difference.
00:15:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, yep, there is.
00:15:38
Big daddy
Okay. There was a contractor in here in Chicagoland area that he would salt the six inch store seven, eight, nine times. He gave you a hell of a low price for a seasonal at the beginning of the year, but then he'd ping the shit out of you for salt and the hell out of everything.
00:15:52
Big daddy
And you ended up with three times what I would have charged you. And people are starting to realize that and see that. So now I get that one inch, I get that inch and a half of crusty shit that you know, Jared, you know what I'm talking about here?
00:16:05
Big daddy
That crusty crap. Yep. That crusty crap.
00:16:07
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:16:09
Big daddy
And you throw the salt down and the salt burns through it and it hits the pavement. And now it's melting everything underneath and that crust is still on top.
00:16:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:16:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup.
00:16:18
Big daddy
And then here come the phone calls at seven o'clock. You haven't been here. You didn't hit my lot. And you can see the water running underneath the ice. All you need is a car to simply drive over it and collapse it and it's all good.
00:16:28
Big daddy
But they don't see that. Now I'm calling these guys out, having a bang through that lot in an hour and a half, two hours, and they're on their way home still getting paid. And that's where the mentality is.
00:16:40
Big daddy
That's where these contractors get excited. These these operators, I mean, not contractors, operators. Hell yeah, man, I'm driving home and I'm still getting paid. So they get out there, they knock it out and they head home.
00:16:40
RICK JAMES
Help.
00:16:50
Big daddy
Now I can go out and salt.
00:16:51
RICK JAMES
oh
00:16:53
Big daddy
you know This also helps with but setting yourself up to be the best contractor you can be for your customer. okay We've all seen it.
00:17:04
Big daddy
You get out there. It was a dusting. You bang it out. yeah That lot calls for five ton of salt. You're able to knock it out in four.
00:17:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:17:13
Big daddy
You get the job done. You got a one ton cushion. That happens once or twice. Okay, great. But you just finished up salting. Everything is wet. You head off to the next place and you get that little burst at seven o'clock.
00:17:27
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:17:27
Big daddy
And it was only for a few minutes, but it was enough and the temperature was right where it coated the ground and
Salting Techniques and Customer Satisfaction
00:17:34
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:17:34
Big daddy
your property manager is gonna be coming in shortly.
00:17:37
Big daddy
Now you can go back and you can throw those extra extract two tons of salt that you had for a cushion on your main aisles and on your drives so that when he comes in, he sees that's mountain and he knows you've been there.
00:17:49
Big daddy
You don't have to do a whole lot again because there is no way you're going to be able to send him a bill for two saltings on a half inch of snow.
00:17:56
Big daddy
He's going to tell you you're nuts. He's going to, he's going to look for somebody else now. he didn't see you do that he sees on the camera you were there twice but he didn't get two bills you just became his new favorite contractor and he is going to be eager to sign that contract once again next year these are the kind of things you have to watch for so many of these guys just want to salt salt salt salt salt salt salt I mean the some of these places are getting tight on the EPA shit it's still it's still
00:17:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:18:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure. A hundred percent. I agree completely. Hmm.
00:18:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:18:29
Big daddy
a mental block to me where, where their thoughts come from when they tell you, well, we can't have a salt pile on site because that's going to get in our sewer.
00:18:40
Big daddy
I'm going to be spreading the salt on your parking lot.
00:18:41
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:18:42
Big daddy
Anyway, it's going to get in your sewer or, or do you not think that the cars that are coming in the parking lot with those, the big road clunkers on it, aren't loaded with salt and slush and they're going to fall off and melt and go down the sewer.
00:18:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, exactly.
00:18:44
RICK JAMES
All right. All right.
00:18:54
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:18:55
Big daddy
Anyway, this is where they don't think, you know,
00:18:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:19:00
Big daddy
So.
00:19:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, the I mean, the sectionals definitely, definitely help. Like I actually was telling somebody the other day, we have a guy, a good friend of mine that this year just started working with us because he is now he left the town municipal ah highway department.
00:19:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah He got hired by a fire department. So now he's he's joined up with us to to plow and he can't believe how little salt we actually have to use. Uh, you know, after we're done plowing and I said, dude, it's, it's all because of the sectionals. It's, you know, you're using the premier cutting, you know, ability. We don't have anything left behind. Look at our lots. I mean, you're plowing with a sectional. Have you ever seen anything like it? He goes, dude, this thing scrapes so clean. It's crazy, but we use so little salt. And I think you guys advertise like 30% salt savings. You know, if you switch to a sectional, I actually think you undersell that. I think it's actually higher.
00:19:53
Big daddy
It is higher and we do undersell it for just that reason because you're gonna get your haters that I go, yeah, yeah, I was 46%. So you're wrong, it wasn't 50.
00:20:00
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:00
Big daddy
So you you do it at 30, you cover your butt and you find out for yourself exactly how it's working best for you.
00:20:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah get true
00:20:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, ah it definitely does.
00:20:07
Big daddy
Okay. Nothing else out there is scraping to the pavement like this plow is.
00:20:13
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:20:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
no
00:20:14
Big daddy
You know, if I wasn't working for this company and I know everything that's been put out there on the internet now, and I was a new guy starting out, I would save my money, even to buy a used one. Okay.
00:20:25
Big daddy
And when you see used ones on the sale, on sale on the paper and on marketplace and shit, they're not selling those because they don't use them anymore.
00:20:25
RICK JAMES
ye
00:20:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
No.
00:20:32
Big daddy
They either got new ones or they changed the counts in that and they're, Hey, you know what? That 10 footer worked out great for me. I now have. a 908 or a 321 and I need to go with a 13 footer.
00:20:43
Big daddy
So I'm selling this to get this or they were, or they're not going to do snow anymore. They had it for doing an extra lot that they don't do anymore. Nobody just sells these things off because they don't like them. It doesn't happen.
00:20:55
Big daddy
I just, I'm dealing with two guys right now that took their 10 footers and are upgrading them to 13s.
00:20:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:21:02
Big daddy
And all they did was buy a panel and a frame instead of spending the money on a 13 because they, yeah, you too.
00:21:08
RICK JAMES
I've done that.
00:21:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:21:08
Big daddy
Okay.
00:21:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. That's a Jeremy.
00:21:09
RICK JAMES
I've done that.
00:21:09
Big daddy
Yep.
00:21:09
RICK JAMES
I've done that.
00:21:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's a Jeremy special right there.
00:21:11
Big daddy
it dude it's same with same with 12s and 14s I had a guy by a 12 frame because the property he had didn't work anymore and he had three others and he can't run a 17 down the road bought a 12 frame took his three four panels off put him onto that he uses that he still got the 17 in case he gets that big property back this is the versatility of it if we found a way to do quick searchs ah quick release velcro people would be buying that and setting that up on there to be able to change these piles out like that I'm not kidding it's crazy man
00:21:12
RICK JAMES
I've done that for years.
00:21:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, yeah You know where the Where it really shines though the sectional not to get off topic too much but since we're talking about it is One of the first storms where I had my first sectional was a daytime ah I mean it was dumping inch inch and a half two inches an hour for like three or four hours right in the middle of the day and the businesses were all still open and
00:21:39
RICK JAMES
ye i was doing that for years i've been doing that for years
00:21:43
Big daddy
It's crazy.
00:21:43
RICK JAMES
but so
00:22:05
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:22:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
you you know that hard pack you know the temperatures below freezing cars are still going in and out and we do a couple small retail places are you know post office and stuff eighty year old women they don't care if it's three inch an hour snowfall rates if they go to the post office on tuesday they're gonna be at that post office.
00:22:06
RICK JAMES
I was doing that for a year. I've been doing that for years.
00:22:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
I couldn't believe how I knew the sectional was good, but that was the first real test where it's great. I had two, three inches of hard pack and it scraped it right up.
00:22:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
And I'm seeing pavement under it on one pass.
00:22:35
Big daddy
ah
00:22:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
It was incredible. And I'm like, dude, I'm so sold on these freaking plows, man.
00:22:37
Big daddy
Sure.
00:22:40
Big daddy
Honestly, seeing is believing.
00:22:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
This is it.
00:22:41
Big daddy
I can't tell you how many contractors have been at the different snow shows and they, no, I'm not buying that. I'm not spending my money in that. Too many moving parts is the favorite is the favorite line. And then they come to me afterwards and say, Hey man, I took the plunge.
00:22:54
Big daddy
I got one and I'm really sorry. I didn't listen to you sooner.
00:22:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, absolutely.
00:22:58
Big daddy
So it just, it's, it's, I can't explain the feeling of it it. It just, I take this a lot different. than a lot of other people that work for this company because I've been here since day one of this thing started. I've seen where it's grown. I've seen where it's gone. I have a personal relationship with Randy and the family. So it's like, it's, it's just so different, man.
00:23:20
Big daddy
and
00:23:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
You were there pre-equipment and pre-sectional, right John?
00:23:23
Big daddy
Oh yeah, when I started there, we had two LX 885s and we had three wheel loaders that were the old dresser loaders and a half a dozen salt trucks.
00:23:25
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:23:34
Big daddy
That's how we started.
00:23:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
Tressors. Wow. So you've seen the whole evolution. That's awesome.
00:23:37
Big daddy
That's how we started.
00:23:41
Big daddy
I was involved with the production of the very first one, like we talked about in my last episode with the slide out wings with all that.
00:23:41
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:23:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup.
00:23:48
Big daddy
And it's just, I think the greatest thing about it with Randy was he would come and ask you, Hey, what do you think of this? Hey, what do you think of that? Not like I'm the boss. I'm the man. It's my fucking decision. This is what we're doing.
00:23:59
Big daddy
Take it or leave it. He's not that guy. They constantly ask for opinions. We have a program right now with the Razorback. that if you want to raise your back you jump onto the R and&D program and we give it to you for a fraction of the cost by you taking it and you using it the way you use it because every single person is going to use a plow differently.
00:24:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:24:22
Big daddy
Like I said I've had guys that have had the same plows and they are marked they get the same plows at this property every year five years same edges same shoes not gone yet I've got other guys first time out they destroy them what are you doing I didn't do nothing I didn't hit nothing you know You get those things.
00:24:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:24:39
Big daddy
You get those things. But the greatest thing about that sectional is every single place our piece is replaceable.
00:24:41
RICK JAMES
ah
00:24:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:24:44
RICK JAMES
Mm
00:24:47
Big daddy
Every one.
00:24:48
RICK JAMES
hmm.
00:24:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hmm.
00:24:51
Big daddy
You look at this plow, and it's floating. Each section floats on those four polyurethane blocks. Look at it as a fuse. OK? You got your pickup truck.
00:25:02
Big daddy
You put on your backup lights. You put on your Mars lights. You put on your plow lights. You put on extra plow lights. And you turn the switch on, the lights come on, and they all go off. What just happened?
00:25:13
Big daddy
You blew the fuse because you overloaded the circuit.
00:25:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Uh huh.
00:25:16
Big daddy
Same thing with the sectional. If you hit an obstacle or hit something hard enough, a curb that's too high for the trip edge to react, You're gonna smack that sucker and you're gonna bust those two po top poly blocks and that section's gonna fall down.
00:25:30
Big daddy
You blew the fuse.
00:25:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Uh huh.
00:25:32
Big daddy
What do you correct on the truck? You take some of the lights off, you put a new fuse in, you're good to go. You get two new fuses, two new poly blocks. You put them back on the plow in less than 30 minutes, and you're good to go again.
00:25:44
Big daddy
You can't do that with a conventional box pusher. That sucker's going to be tweaked and twisted and bent.
00:25:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
No.
00:25:49
Big daddy
You don't have enough people and rose buds in the shop to even think about getting that thing close to square.
00:25:49
RICK JAMES
No.
00:25:54
Big daddy
Toss it back in the corner and take it for scraps so you have a deposit on buying a sectional.
00:26:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, absolutely, man.
00:26:02
RICK JAMES
Yep, there you go.
00:26:03
Big daddy
you know
Operational Evolution and Challenges
00:26:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Johnson, since you were there before and after the transformational.
00:26:04
Big daddy
so
00:26:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
What like, what were the major differences you've seen in Arctic before the sectional, before all the equipment versus now after?
00:26:15
Big daddy
Our efficiencies are through the roof.
00:26:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:26:18
Big daddy
I mean, you back in the day, we had the old international 1950 series.
00:26:20
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:26:27
Big daddy
Okay, the square no is the square deal. The cowl right at the front of the windshield where the hood closed would rot out. You turn the defroster on, all the heat was going on the outside of the truck.
00:26:38
Big daddy
So you would stuff it with paper and run great stuff in it. That's when great stuff first came out. And that would give you a little bit of heat inside the truck. And then it went to, we found these box heaters that you cut the two radiator lines, and you put them into the box heater that was a separate fan.
00:26:54
Big daddy
And you close the door on the right side, you open it on the left, and it blew on your leg. So when you bought a new pair of car hearts, you cut the left leg off the car heart.
00:27:02
RICK JAMES
if
00:27:03
Big daddy
Because that leg was going to be baking from the heater, and your left leg was frozen. okay If you wanted to see how good of a job you were doing plowing,
00:27:12
RICK JAMES
Hehe.
00:27:12
Big daddy
You just leaned over and looked through the hole that was in the floor because these were old state trucks.
00:27:16
RICK JAMES
Hehe.
00:27:17
Big daddy
These are old trucks that had been through the salt and done all that. If you found a stop sign or construction sign in the off season, you brought it in, wrote your name on the back and the mechanics knew that they were supposed to cut that sign out to put it in the floor of your truck.
00:27:30
Big daddy
We were just shy of Flintstones, man. Okay.
00:27:32
RICK JAMES
but
00:27:33
Big daddy
And it worked, but it was, Randy had a vision. I'm going to build this company. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. So there was a company called Builder Square back in the day. Builder Square was going out of business.
00:27:45
Big daddy
He went to an auction and bought four Builder Square trucks. He upfitted them, put salters on them, put plows on them. Hey, we're moving up here. In fact, those old ass trucks, Rick from Snow Power bought those trucks from me when he first started doing his plowing.
00:27:59
RICK JAMES
Oh yeah.
00:28:01
Big daddy
Rick and I have known each other over 30 years now. And it just shows where all this stuff goes.
00:28:04
RICK JAMES
oh
00:28:06
Big daddy
one One man's junk could be another man's treasure. And I'm not seeing any of our stuff was drunk junk. But it was it was rough.
00:28:13
RICK JAMES
It was used.
00:28:14
Big daddy
I mean, we did like anybody else. You start up and you build stuff up. Hey, if this worked for you, I'm going to make it work for me until I can get enough to but buy something newer or build something newer. And we just kept progressing with that.
00:28:26
Big daddy
um we We put an order in three years ago for 35 brand new F750s. They never showed up. Ford couldn't get them, Ford couldn't build them. They called this year, oh hey, we can get you five. Now you know what, we're good. You guys weren't there for us, we're good. I buy Penske rental trucks. I yank the boxes, I shorten the frames, I put either PTO systems on them or electric clutch systems on the motors. And that's what we use to run our stuff.
00:28:58
Big daddy
We are in the process of of doing salt boxes and all that business now, but none of that's going to be ready yet. So I use a salter that has an auger in it and it works fantastic. And now I run these trucks a year or two and I'm selling those off now. Now you're not paying $90,000 for a salt truck. I'm able to sell it to you for $45.50.
00:29:20
Big daddy
So you're way ahead of the game. Everything's already done with it. It's already been broken in. The bugs have already been worked out of it. It's ready to rock and roll because it's a stainless steel box. So let's do that program there.
00:29:33
Big daddy
Snow Raiders for the sidewalks, doing the same thing with snow Raiders. Snow Raiders run a season or two, depending on how many hours are on them. And they get sold off under a hundred hours.
00:29:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nice.
00:29:42
RICK JAMES
Sheesh.
00:29:43
Big daddy
And I'm able to take that money off. if If I paid 20,000 per snow raider you're gonna pay 15 because I've used it I made the money with that I take it off and now you're into a snow raider for less money and you run it for a year or two and move it on to the next person okay back in the day we ran the shit until you had to call the tow truck to pick it off on site and just take it right to the junkyard literally the joke of I ran it till the wheels I ran the wheels off it we did we did
00:29:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure. Absolutely.
00:30:05
RICK JAMES
Yup,
00:30:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
True.
00:30:09
RICK JAMES
yup.
00:30:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
True story.
00:30:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
True story.
00:30:15
Big daddy
and now with the programs that we have in place the growth that Arctic has had we're able to do more and do newer stuff and then came the equipment program we got rid of all the older stuff we had it broke my heart we had a whole field full of ovals L70C L90C them son of a bitches are fast those are 32 33 miles an hour down the road it broke my heart to sell them when we started getting this newer equipment I'm like
00:30:15
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:30:38
RICK JAMES
They are, they definitely are.
00:30:43
Big daddy
It's like an old pair of shoes. I know these fucking things are worn out, but God damn, they feel good when I put them on. You don't want to buy that new pair of gym shoes because you know that shit's going to hurt your feet.
00:30:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:30:53
Big daddy
So it was a real heart-wrenching for me when we took all those to auction to sell them off. I still see those units out people using them.
00:30:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, I'm sure.
00:31:01
Big daddy
I know quite a few people that bought them. As soon as they knew they were ours, they were all over them because they know our maintenance regiment.
00:31:05
RICK JAMES
Uh huh.
00:31:08
Big daddy
They know what we do with our stuff and they know that it is only used for snow.
00:31:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, that's huge. Absolutely.
00:31:15
Big daddy
you know it's like sissy work really it's it's sissy work it's sissy work and that's what that's what more and more people are starting to get on that understand I know there's no way you had to turn the hours back on that machine turn it back go go plug the ECM and you can't lie in an ECM you can't it's it's this is what they get used for 35 hours last year the machines got on them Steve that's it that's it
00:31:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Oh yeah. These machines don't even know they're working in snow.
00:31:19
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:31:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah ah Oh,
00:31:21
RICK JAMES
Yeah. yeah
00:31:35
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:31:38
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:31:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, trust me, I know I've gotten a couple from your one year old machines and they've they've had less than 50 hours some years. I'm like, wow, this is a, I think the the lowest hour amount I got was nine, nine hours.
00:31:57
Big daddy
I sold two machines last year to a guy with nine and ten hours on the 321 because it didn't snow.
00:32:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I got a 19 I think from you that one of the first machines I bought from you was nine hours. It was a 2019, I believe it was.
00:32:10
Big daddy
Yep it happens it happens they're like well why wouldn't you just keep them longer why wouldn't you just no that's not how the program works.
00:32:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
It was crazy. I'm like, this can't be right. like There's no way. That's not the system. Exactly.
00:32:20
Big daddy
That's not how the program works.
00:32:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:32:21
Big daddy
I'm not gonna get stuck with these payments. I'm not gonna get stuck with this. We're gonna rotate it into the new one so we can get the right off as well. And then the next guy gets the same thing. The same thing.
00:32:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Smart. Super smart.
00:32:32
Big daddy
So it has just gone every year and grown and grown and grown. 100, 150, 200, 245. And we have buy-in new meetings with CNH Corporation.
00:32:46
Big daddy
We're talking the vice president. We're talking, and the regional managers, we're talking engineers, finance, C&H finance, all come in. It's about 30 of us that sit in this meeting twice a year to go over. One of the meetings is to to recap on what the order is. And the other meeting is for them to listen to me on what problems I ran into for the year or what changes I'd like to see made.
00:33:16
Big daddy
And they have been so receptive. I couldn't be any more honored that a peon blue collar guy who plows snow has a voice with a corporation this big.
00:33:29
Big daddy
And they listen. They listen.
00:33:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
well they sure as hell better. You're the largest purchaser of of their equipment in the world.
00:33:36
Big daddy
We are, we are. Don't think don't think there's not other companies beating down the door.
00:33:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
but and Listen, that has that wields power though. you know yeah i mean When you have that kind of purchasing power, they're going to listen to you because they want to keep you happy.
00:33:44
RICK JAMES
Uh
00:33:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
so you know You got gripes, they're going to hear you out, which is great for everybody because you guys, you're doing this enough.
00:33:49
RICK JAMES
-huh.
00:33:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're seeing all of these machines, hundreds and hundreds of machines. You know, one or two here might have an, have a small issue that for a small guy, you know, they're not going to listen, but you guys are going through so many machines. If there's a recurring problem, you're finding it and you're telling them, and that's going to benefit all of us because they're going to listen to you.
00:34:14
Big daddy
and I'm involved with repairing the problem as well.
00:34:14
RICK JAMES
look at the look at the
00:34:17
Big daddy
That's the cool part.
00:34:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome.
00:34:19
Big daddy
It isn't like, okay, yeah, we'll look into that. Nope, all right, what are you seeing? What do you got? All right, let's try this. What do you think? Look, I think this is what's going on. Reroute this, let's do this over here. There's not a vent in the proper place here.
00:34:29
Big daddy
It's not getting on the window. I'm only defrosting in the bottom six inches. I'm looking out two feet higher. We have to rearrange and do this and shit happens because Arctic, Arctic has single-handedly
00:34:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
00:34:45
Big daddy
change the country's color to power tan, okay?
00:34:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, 100% percent.
00:34:50
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah.
00:34:51
Big daddy
It's because people are out there and it's like, why the fuck am I gonna reinvent the wheel?
00:34:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:34:56
Big daddy
These guys have already gone through it all. I'm following their lead.
00:35:01
Big daddy
Now don't get me wrong. Jeremy's done stuff that it's like, hey, wow, that's a great idea. Let's let's see how that works. And we've all, all of us bigger conglomerates are on the level where we can communicate and not mother fuck each other and all that shit and and be arguing over it there's millions of square foot of asphalt out there there's no need for anybody to be fighting but we all bounce stuff off of each other and hey this is working for me this ain't working for me and other people go why are you sharing your secret I can't tell you now how many people are gonna listen to this podcast tonight and they're gonna say why would he tell people that what it's not a secret it's common sense
00:35:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Amen.
00:35:37
RICK JAMES
No, yeah.
00:35:38
Big daddy
I'm still doing what I'm doing.
00:35:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Amen.
00:35:39
Big daddy
I'm still a manufacturer pumping out all this equipment. I'm still a contractor servicing properties. You're going to get it eventually. If we're going to do it, let's at least get out there and do it right.
00:35:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:35:51
Big daddy
So I don't have these little landscapers with 77 three speed Chevy pickups and a seven and a half Western that you got to pull the pin and turn and drop the pin back in out there bidding on these properties.
00:35:52
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:36:03
Big daddy
I'm sick and tired of that man. I know everybody's got to start out somewhere, but Jesus Christmas.
00:36:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
True
00:36:06
RICK JAMES
yep
00:36:08
Big daddy
There's so much stuff out there now that can be purchased and so much efficiency out there.
00:36:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:36:15
Big daddy
These, these half ass people should not do it.
00:36:16
RICK JAMES
efficiency is a name.
00:36:18
Big daddy
And then you lose an account because they were $50 less than you. Let's see.
00:36:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:36:23
Big daddy
You got $2,800 worth of equipment on the site and I've got 280,000. Are you, are you done?
00:36:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, exactly.
00:36:32
RICK JAMES
You're right.
00:36:32
Big daddy
I just, I can't figure it out.
00:36:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
And that's unbelievable. Yeah, it happens though.
00:36:35
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:36:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're right.
00:36:36
Big daddy
I can't figure it out.
00:36:37
RICK JAMES
100%. Yeah.
00:36:38
Big daddy
I get my t-shirt can and load it with frozen snowballs and just start blasting people in the head to get them to realize stuff.
00:36:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
So.
00:36:43
RICK JAMES
ah
00:36:43
Big daddy
You know, it just, so, so when Arctic product started, we were building that plow and people were seeing it out on sites and they started asking, Oh, where can I get one?
00:36:45
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:36:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, jocks.
00:36:47
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:36:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
oh
00:36:57
Big daddy
Where can I get one? Randy's like, yeah, we ain't doing that. And then finally it said, well, you know what? If I'm not going to get the property, I might as well get their money. So I'm going to start making these.
00:37:06
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah.
00:37:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Smart.
00:37:07
Big daddy
And Blake has made the comment that we are snow guys building equipment for snow guys. we We know what you need.
00:37:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
true Amen.
00:37:20
Big daddy
We're doing it ourselves. We know what's needed. Let's build it, come and buy it. And I'm going to get you on the right track. I'm going to get you on the right track. Jordan is putting together his snow, his storm Academy, trying to teach people how to use this equipment the right way.
00:37:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:37:36
Big daddy
I can make a hundred videos and you're still going to get some clown out there, some ass hat. That's going to go and tip that thing all the way forward, going to slam into stuff and go, Oh, look at, I broke it. Cause you didn't use it right.
00:37:47
RICK JAMES
Yeah. All right.
00:37:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah 100%.
00:37:50
Big daddy
and and and we make our guys watch these videos in our meetings and we send it to their phones to re-up them halfway through the year on how to use the plow in that yet you still got those cowboys out there that nope you ain't gonna tell me what to do but guys like Jordan and other companies are bringing people in and go hey come on over you know how do we use one of these we're gonna show you right
00:38:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:38:12
Big daddy
And we're gonna show you the right equipment to use no matter if it's ours or the metal plus or who's it is. They're gonna show you how to use it right.
00:38:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:38:21
Big daddy
And that is going to be huge for everybody. Once again, competitors helping competitors trying to help other people.
00:38:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
hundred percent
00:38:30
Big daddy
There is way too much asphalt out there to fight over. it Let's all get out and get our little piece of the pie. So we're not driving all over God's green earth trying to get work. you know It sucks when you got to drive an hour and a half to go to a contract when you drove past 50 others that Jeremy drove an hour and a half this way to do.
00:38:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
right.
00:38:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes.
00:38:49
RICK JAMES
right.
00:38:50
Big daddy
You know what happens? I don't know if it's our mentality and the way we are programmed, but look at all the people that drive from the country into the city for work and all the people driving out of the city to go work in a
Vendor Independence and Subcontracting Risks
00:39:04
Big daddy
country.
00:39:04
Big daddy
What? it's the same fucking job get something closer to your house for God's sakes this is just how we think this is how we think we want to challenge ourselves every day in some way shape or form you know
00:39:14
RICK JAMES
Great.
00:39:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
So speaking of the piece of the pie that's out there, Arctic has a little bit bigger chunk than most people out there. I mean, you guys are a monster and you're, you're all self-performing, John.
00:39:30
Big daddy
yep
00:39:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like you guys don't use vendor partners at all. So is there any tips or like anything you'd be willing to let the listeners know about how you guys handle so many properties without using vendor partners like most of us have to?
00:39:44
Big daddy
Like I had said before, we have a few pickups. We have skid steers that get dropped onto to properties that might be smaller than I might bounce one or two guys around on. um We are equipping a few of these salt trucks with a blade on it because I don't really have that many small properties.
00:40:01
Big daddy
You might pick up a little four-store strip mall with 30 parking spots in it or something because you're doing five big malls for this contractor and they need someone to do it. At that point, you're gonna have that
00:40:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:40:12
Big daddy
four men with a pickup and a blade or you're gonna have that salt truck driver of the blade breeze through and knock that out that's how you do that stuff you can't rely on an owner operator you can't rely on that subcontractor all the time I mean you're gonna have a few floating around just because the things are spread out but as far as putting that responsibility in their hands what if he had a bad day would have been his wife got in an argument and he's all been out of shape and she went out and got the tires on his truck now he ain't showing up now you're screwed because you're the guy holding the bag for that slip and fall you cannot put yourself in that position the hole don't put all your eggs in one basket absolutely not I know guys that do nothing but subcontractors they don't own one piece of equipment they're just managing it all well I hope that works out for you but you better hope you got reliable people that are gonna they're gonna do that we used quite a few subcontractors back in the day for that kind of thing
00:40:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
ye
00:40:45
RICK JAMES
Uh huh.
00:41:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. Yep.
00:41:08
Big daddy
but then the abundance of equipment grew and it became easier and easier to put a piece of equipment on there than relying on a guy in a truck. You know, we've had people that have been with the company for over 25 years.
00:41:20
Big daddy
um Some of them plow in their truck, some of them plow in a machine. I've got some guys that'll come out and plow in my machine and then hop in their truck and go down the road and knock out a couple of small parking lots.
00:41:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:41:31
Big daddy
That's not an owner operator. that's an extension of us they work for us he's using his truck to do that he's compensated for that but you just you can't throw all that stuff at subs the national companies are good for that shit you know they're bidding a property and and hey I'm gonna bid this lot at 50 grand they're gonna go in and and tell hey can you do that for 22 oh you give me 25 okay we'll give you 25 they're making 25 off the top problem is
00:41:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha. Yeah.
00:41:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, I don't know how good they are at it. but
00:42:02
Big daddy
Roy's snow plowing goes out in salts and it isn't melting yet. He's been gone 10 minutes and the store manager calls the, the company down in Florida and says, Hey, my lot's realizing I need salt.
00:42:06
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:42:12
Big daddy
So they call up Roy's landscaping again or snow plowing and says, Hey, we need you to salt. Okay. Just salt it. No, you need, you gotta go back out and salt again and you're not getting paid. We're going to watch on the camera. So he's got to go out and re salt again.
00:42:25
Big daddy
And that just keeps picking away at the $22,000.
00:42:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh yeah.
00:42:29
Big daddy
that he got for doing that property and he ends up with nothing.
00:42:30
RICK JAMES
no yeah
00:42:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:42:33
Big daddy
Or it's like, fuck that, I'm not going back out again. i'm not going I don't have any extra money left, I'm not going back out. And then he makes zero.
00:42:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, absolutely.
00:42:42
Big daddy
That's where those companies are not worth it. If you're gonna be an owner operator and you're gonna sign something on your own, sign it on your own.
00:42:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
hu Amen.
00:42:49
Big daddy
Sign it on your own. You you don't wanna go out and have that responsibility, the insurance and all that, jump on board with a reputable company.
00:42:57
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:42:58
Big daddy
There's a lot of them out there that look for owner operators that are gonna take care of their guys, okay?
00:43:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:43:04
Big daddy
You just, you make sure that your rate is right. You make sure that they got a GPS on you to track when you're on the lot, when you're off the lot because then there's no bullshit. Yeah, I was there five hours. No, there's no way you could have been there five hours.
00:43:16
Big daddy
Look at my GPS. It showed up at midnight. I was done at 5 a.m. How many hours is that? You can see I didn't leave. You see I'm moving through it a lot and you're never gonna have a problem. Never have a problem with that shit.
00:43:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:43:28
Big daddy
you know it just It works that way, and this is what's working for us. Each person is different. We put routes together. okay I might have six accounts on one route, and there's a foreman in charge of that route.
00:43:45
Big daddy
And then it is a connection tree. I have somebody foreman under me, and I'm constantly in communication via text. They got three texts from me today.
00:43:56
Big daddy
One this morning, one this afternoon, and one a few hours ago to let them know that we are going out at a certain time. So they know that they got to get to bed. They can call all their guys, make sure they're all good to go. Now, nobody gets bothered. Nobody's sitting up going, man, are they going to call? Are we going to go out? Are they going to call? You know what? They're not calling. I'm going to lay down. It's one 30 phone rings at two o'clock. Hey, it's time to go out. Oh dude, I just laid down. I can't go out. You're screwed. So communication is always the key with that shit.
00:44:26
Big daddy
Okay, you let him know ahead of time, you let him know what's going on.
00:44:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:44:30
Big daddy
And there may be only six accounts on that route, but two of them are 12 miles away. You can't expect that one truck to do that.
00:44:40
Big daddy
So you put two trucks on that, you have this one truck go here, where he's only going 30 minutes, he bangs those two out, then he can bleed into the next guy's route and take a couple of his accounts. So routing, scheduling, all that stuff is what
00:44:53
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:44:54
Big daddy
makes those efficiencies better and makes that stuff work. That's how you do it. You optimize it by putting a schedule together, by putting a plan together. all right Sometimes, and I'm the king of shooting from the hip, Randy told you in his podcast, my ADHD, he wouldn't want anybody else making the calls like I make, the way I make them, as fast as I make them, when there's a situation.
00:45:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:17
Big daddy
And there's always a situation. All 75 trucks are not gonna start up and head out.
00:45:20
RICK JAMES
Always.
00:45:22
Big daddy
You're gonna have two or three that the guys don't show. Or that, oh I left the key on, the battery's dead. Now we're gonna be behind waiting for a service guy to come out to jump in. You know, and you gotta, hey, I don't need three trucks on that route, send this guy here.
00:45:33
Big daddy
It's midnight, we got six hours before anything opens. These guys can get this done, this guy can go here. That's why back in the day when we used to call people out, ah one of the girls in the office, oh give me your route sheet, I'll call guys out for you.
00:45:47
Big daddy
So now I'll do it. well let me help you no you don't understand if I get three down the list and these two guys don't answer and I know the other three answered they have three trucks going out and they don't need three there right now I can call that guy right back and tell him send two year trucks here some one year one year so we have presence there she wouldn't have known to do that that's where I excel that's where I do my best
00:46:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:46:06
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:46:09
Big daddy
is making those kind of calls moving that kind of stuff around. chair I'm sure you're the same way you know when you look out there and there's a loader still on the barn or there's still one run out the parking lot that's hooked up that nobody's taking hey where's this guy oh man he's got the flu he ain't gonna make it well guess what you're running a loader tonight or you give one of the other guys
00:46:13
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. yeah
00:46:23
RICK JAMES
ye ye
Decision-Making in Snow Operations
00:46:27
Big daddy
hey is that buddy you're still interested I got an open machine call him let's get him in here you're able to do that because you know everything that's going on
00:46:30
RICK JAMES
Yeah. yeah, all the time.
00:46:36
Big daddy
i Like I said, I split that north side. Jeremy and Tom, take care of that north side. We communicate back and forth. I hate what time you're looking at going out, what time you're looking at going out. We put a plan, we had a plan at eight o'clock this morning on what we were doing at two o'clock in the morning tomorrow.
00:46:36
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:46:50
Big daddy
Already new. Here's what we're gonna do and let's wait and see what the afternoon report is. Make sure it didn't shift. Make sure they're not seeing all. There's only a 30% chance now because the atmosphere dry and it's gonna dry up before it hits the ground.
00:47:01
Big daddy
So you don't make that call and everybody shows up going, where the fuck's this going? Because you know that shit happens too.
00:47:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hmm. Yeah, absolutely.
00:47:08
Big daddy
you know You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.
00:47:09
RICK JAMES
Oh yeah.
00:47:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
John, how do you make a decision?
00:47:12
Big daddy
so
00:47:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're going out salting tonight for salt run. How do you make a decision when it comes to staffing sites of who's getting salt trucks through it and who's getting double downs? Like is there a, is there a policy for square footage or how does that get determined?
00:47:27
Big daddy
No, it it kind of depends on what's right by the place. um Like we have some of the oases.
00:47:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:47:35
Big daddy
that are all by themselves out there.
00:47:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:47:37
Big daddy
That's why they have the Oasis, because there's no exit.
00:47:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:47:40
Big daddy
That's a long time for a salt truck to head out there.
00:47:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:47:43
Big daddy
So now there's a load of salt there. There's 20 tons of salt there, two, three blocks, and a double down. Now that operator's plowing the lot.
00:47:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Got you.
00:47:51
Big daddy
He's then putting the bucket on. He's scooping up that salt, and he's salting it himself, not waiting for that truck to be routed out there.
00:47:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
I got you.
00:47:58
Big daddy
um In one of our big towns, I have five properties within a quarter mile of the mall. The mall has 150 ton of salt on it. There's two, three yard double downs there. So as soon as those, one of those wheel loader guys has done plowing or the main drives are done at the mall, the other guy puts the bucket on, he comes out and starts salting.
00:48:20
Big daddy
And then when the other guys finished, hey, where are you at with that property across the street?
00:48:22
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:48:24
Big daddy
Yeah, I'm wrapping this up. Come on over here, help finish the mall. It's much bigger. What I was talking about before, you don't need five pieces at the mall. You got five that go out other places.
00:48:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:48:33
Big daddy
They all end up back there. You guys come back and help finish this up. It works by being able to spread that equipment out more. now that that guy with the double down jumping across the street and doing that smaller property he's running down the road and hitting that Walmart he's running over here and hitting the LA Fitness he's running over here and doing the the grocery store and the salt truck never had to go there.
00:48:40
RICK JAMES
ye
00:48:54
Big daddy
Ice storms, ice storms are what benefit with the double down the most because you know you're not making it down the road when you got an ice storm you better hope that that guy right there is able to salt everything there and get around to whatever else you can that's
00:48:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:48:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:48:59
RICK JAMES
Hmm.
00:48:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:49:01
RICK JAMES
Nope.
00:49:10
Big daddy
what justifies what gets a double down.
00:49:11
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:49:12
Big daddy
There are some people who will pay a premium price to have the double down. I don't want to wait and be on a route. I need this salted as soon as it's done. Well, we can supply a double down for you. It's going to change your price to this, but you will technically be salted first because that guy is right there to do it.
00:49:29
Big daddy
He's going to scoop that salt up as soon as your lot is clear and it's going to be down within minutes of him finishing.
00:49:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hmm.
00:49:34
Big daddy
Absolutely sign me up for that. That's money in the bank for me.
00:49:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:49:38
Big daddy
And that's how you sell it. That's how you sell it.
00:49:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, there there's always an event like Randy was talking about when the sectional when he came up with the idea from the sectional ah that that little piece of ah parking lot in front of one of the stores.
00:49:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
I can't remember which one, but that had a dip and you could never get down there with the truck plows. And he saw the guy bring out six employees with shovels and push that push that low area with the shovels for you.
00:50:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Was there a a precipitating event that you can remember that the double down idea came from? Like was there there's obviously a need for you guys like that.
00:50:14
Big daddy
It wasn't anything specific.
00:50:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Is that why you did it? Was it an ice storm? You couldn't get salt trucks too or something like that Gotcha Got it Yep
00:50:18
Big daddy
Well that's always been the problem and it's like we've got to figure a way to be able to put some salt down on these lots quicker without waiting on these trucks and we're not going to go and build another 40 trucks and all these license plates and all this insurance and trying to find all these drivers.
00:50:32
Big daddy
I already have an operator in the machine. Why wouldn't I utilize him? You know, as I said before, we are, we are excelling in operator retention now because those guys are not only plowing the snow, they're salting.
00:50:48
Big daddy
And we've had operators out twice now.
00:50:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
00:50:51
Big daddy
We haven't had a thing to push, but we call them out to come out and run the double down and salt.
00:50:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:50:56
Big daddy
So they get acclimated with the operation of the double down, know where their dials have to be to salt efficiently. And they have hours over operators that don't have a double down on site. and you know that they're gonna show each time, go, oh, hell yeah, man, they're gonna be calling me again.
00:51:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, ah yes.
00:51:10
Big daddy
Or are it just, see, there's so many, so many things.
00:51:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. but
00:51:16
Big daddy
You can look at this thing like a Rubik's Cube. Okay, you have to keep twisting and twisting and twisting to get the colors to line up.
00:51:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:51:24
Big daddy
But at least you got all the colors on that cube and you're going to town doing what you're doing to make things done. By the end of the night, when you're parking that last truck and pulling the tarp on, all sides of that ruby cube are the same color because everything came together.
00:51:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Amen. You are correct, sir.
00:51:43
Big daddy
just It's just how it goes you know when somebody says oh can you lay out the plan for me no you can't there is no plan you have an idea of what you're gonna do
00:51:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
00:51:53
Big daddy
and as things unravel, you adjust accordingly.
00:51:54
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:51:56
Big daddy
If you are not a person that cannot go by schedule, um at one o'clock we start plowing. At 2.15, the front lot will be done. At 2.17, the salt truck will show up and it'll begin to administer salt.
00:52:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, ah absolutely.
00:52:09
Big daddy
You'll be done after the first storm. You're out of business. Can't happen.
00:52:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:52:14
Big daddy
Can't happen. Can't happen.
00:52:19
Big daddy
Yeah, buddy. Yep.
00:52:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, shit.
00:52:22
Big daddy
Yeah. It is, it is, and I don't think a lot of these guys really understand that. you know You're not gonna get a suit to come out in Plow Snow.
00:52:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:52:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, God, no.
00:52:33
Big daddy
This is not a suit's job.
00:52:34
RICK JAMES
Oh god.
00:52:35
Big daddy
okay I can remember twice that I've seen Randy in a suit and they were, both of them were for funerals, I think. okay
00:52:43
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:52:44
Big daddy
Randy is an owner who's involved.
00:52:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
And then he absolutely is.
00:52:46
Big daddy
All three of the boys are owners who are involved. okay Spencer from when he was a kid would come out and plow snow we would have operators a um somebody's in my machine some kids in my machine yeah have a seat in the car we're gonna put you on the clock but that's the owner's kid and he's got to be out here plowing he needs to understand what's going on and it's just what was adapted and and this is what has made them the successful young businessmen that they are they've done it they aren't just talking it
00:53:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, that's awesome.
00:53:04
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:53:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:53:13
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:53:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:53:16
Big daddy
you know we you had to talk about the guys who would roll up in their BMW or their their whatever the freak that square body Mercedes thing is that's 250,000. Crank the window down with their big puffy fur coat hey how you guys doing you're making me money all right I'm going out tonight never never with this company and I know several others that are not that do not operate that way either you know I know you guys are like that you guys are the guys who are out there just the same
00:53:25
RICK JAMES
G. Wayne.
00:53:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
No. No, it's. It's the only way, only way to be successful though. Only way to be successful in businesses, especially if you're, if you're coming into a business that's already established is to understand every person's job and how everything works from the ground up.
00:53:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Otherwise you're never going to be able to manage all the chaos efficiently and Excel.
00:53:53
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm You gotta do it you gotta do it
00:53:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that, I mean, that he, Randy, obviously right. And he knows, and those, like you said, John, those guys all have their specialties and they're excelling.
00:54:02
Big daddy
A few years back, there was, there was, yep, yep. A few years back, there was, when when one of the boys got married, the discussion came up because we were looking to move into Florida in a few years.
00:54:15
Big daddy
That's my wife's goal.
00:54:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:54:17
Big daddy
And they're like, can you do us a favor and at least give us a year's notice? Because we're going to need to bring a few people in to shadow you and figure out what you're doing. Like, dude, there ain't no way you're going to be able to teach anybody what I do in a year.
00:54:31
RICK JAMES
No.
00:54:31
Big daddy
let alone multiple people that it's experience.
00:54:33
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:54:35
Big daddy
I can walk you through the cliff notes and give you the guidance, but until you actually do it and you're putting into that scenario, you don't know how you're going to react. You don't know what you're going to do.
00:54:48
Big daddy
You know, so I think that's the best thing about snow is it's always changing. It's never the same storm twice. It's never the same situation with temperatures twice. It's never, it's never the same.
00:54:58
RICK JAMES
like.
00:55:00
Big daddy
The staff twice, you know, it just, it's always something different.
00:55:02
RICK JAMES
Exactly.
00:55:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
no, it's not.
00:55:03
Big daddy
I think that's what keeps it exciting and fun. And I say fun, and you guys are probably going, oh, you're fucking crazy.
00:55:05
RICK JAMES
Oh, I love it.
00:55:08
Big daddy
This ain't fun. It is fun.
00:55:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, it's fun. if If you're not adaptable, you should not be in snow.
00:55:12
Big daddy
It is fun.
00:55:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
If you are a guy that needs to have a rigid unwavering plan that is going to work every single time, you are in the wrong fucking business.
00:55:14
Big daddy
No way.
00:55:14
RICK JAMES
know
00:55:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
You have to be adaptable and roll with the bunches.
00:55:22
RICK JAMES
well What I always say, Steve?
00:55:25
Big daddy
Jeremy wishes he could cut grass at Mrs.
00:55:29
Big daddy
Johnson's every Wednesday all summer long. He knows he's going to Mrs.
00:55:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:55:32
Big daddy
Johnson's at noon to cut the grass. you know you can't you that This is not the thing for that.
00:55:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, you can't do that with snow.
00:55:38
Big daddy
No way. Absolutely not.
00:55:39
RICK JAMES
What do i what I always say, Steve?
00:55:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
No.
00:55:41
RICK JAMES
I always tell um everybody I go, if you guys aren't having fun here, it's time for you to leave. i mean it's you know it's You gotta have fun.
00:55:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:55:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're doing something wrong too.
00:55:50
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:55:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cause if you're not having fun, your guys are not having fun. Cause if you're, if you're all over your guys and even the ones that suck, like we had the one the other day, it was snow.
00:55:53
Big daddy
no
00:55:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
The guys were out. I felt like the the sidewalk ninjas, as I call them, those guys were doing phenomenal work. They weren't complaining. They were soaking wet cause it started raining after as they're still trying to clean up the snow, but they were still having fun.
00:56:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
You know, they didn't complain.
00:56:13
Big daddy
sidewalk guys are the hardest working guys in any company I don't care what anybody says hardest working guys are dude they are I am extremely grateful for our sidewalk teams
00:56:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, 100%, 100%. They're so, we are so spoiled in the the guys in the machines and the trucks. Those guys are like, they are the heroes, man. For me, at least. I i can't, I can't say it enough. They don't complain. They just keep going until it's done.
00:56:35
Big daddy
Extremely grateful for our sidewalk teams. They get all the spots that the machine might not get. You know, they get the stuff away from the back of the building around the dumpster. They push it all out there for you. So you can grab it and go, you know, just to make it a group effort.
00:56:47
Big daddy
And unfortunately, sometimes the operator, Hey man, you did a really good job. Let me patch on the back. That operator is not going to go, Oh no, those guys are really the heroes. No, no, we, we know who the heroes of this thing are.
00:56:59
Big daddy
And it's those guys who are out there. in that cold, in that wet, like you said, that shit changes the wet snow. They get soaked, they get in the truck, throw the gloves on the desk, grab another pair and they head back out because they know that's their job.
00:56:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, absolutely.
00:57:11
Big daddy
And they've got the mentality of, I need to succeed at what I'm doing. I need to accomplish this and turn around and look and go, damn right, look at how clean that walk is.
00:57:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
A hundred percent, a hundred percent.
00:57:20
Big daddy
I did that shit. That's where snow guys go. They want that satisfaction.
00:57:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:57:25
Big daddy
They want that shit done. Look at the size of that pile I made. Look at how clean that pavement is. Look at how cool I look in this piece of equipment and I'm taking ass out here.
00:57:36
Big daddy
you know
00:57:36
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:57:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup. Absolutely.
00:57:37
Big daddy
just Yeah, it's like nothing else. It's like nothing else. that That's the only way I can say it. It's like nothing else.
00:57:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah gay no You're Now you're a hundred percent.
00:57:46
Big daddy
And if you've never done snow, you gotta to try it. Whether you work for a company, ah go to work for somebody else and do it, or you want to try it on your own, you gotta try it just to say you did it.
00:57:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. And ask around whatever area you're in, ask around who has the best culture around.
00:57:58
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:58:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
whos Who are you going to have fun with when you go to work? You know, if you, if you have a bunch of, what are they, what do they call us now?
00:58:05
Big daddy
Nope.
00:58:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Snow bandits, but create wild bunch of snow bandits.
00:58:09
RICK JAMES
Snow madness. Yeah. What a bunch of snow bandits, I guess what we're called.
00:58:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:58:15
Big daddy
So there is definitely something wrong with us in our heads though because who the hell wants to get up in the middle of the night to go out and do this shit everybody else is sleeping and you're out there like a thief in the night stealing them dollar bills when you're pushing yourself off the parking lot you know you kind of relate it to you kind of relate it to that to Geppetto when he would he would close up the little shoe shop and at home and all the little owls came out and fixed all the shoes and did everything
00:58:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
if you
00:58:18
RICK JAMES
Oh.
00:58:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
hundred percent
00:58:22
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:58:28
RICK JAMES
We go out with we go out with the least information.
00:58:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
love it. I love it.
00:58:31
RICK JAMES
We never know what's going to start. Never know what's going to end.
00:58:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
i love it we were
00:58:35
RICK JAMES
Don't know anything.
00:58:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
you know
00:58:45
Big daddy
That's us. All the little, all the little managers and the employees go home from the retail stores and the big backstores and all of us little helps come out.
00:58:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:58:46
RICK JAMES
system.
00:58:52
Big daddy
We cleaned the parking lot and they come in the morning and it's like nothing ever happened.
00:58:56
RICK JAMES
no
00:58:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's what we joked around the other day. Cause the storm didn't end until it was ah like, I don't know, eight 30 so that people actually saw us out there doing final cleanups. And the one person was like, well, we've never seen you here before.
00:59:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
I said, I know we failed. We failed cause you, you saw us.
00:59:11
Big daddy
You're right.
00:59:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're supposed to be like seal team six. You don't, we just come and do the job and get out of there without being seen. Like it's, uh, you know, we failed the storm failed to, uh, to end on time.
00:59:23
Big daddy
right well we've we've touched on it briefly Randy has as well um one of the big advantages we have not only being a contractor is by being a manufacturer as well um we are making these products to make our lives easier and at the same point it's making other contractors lives easier
00:59:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
But, John, uh, I think we got it buddy. Uh, you got anything else you want to talk about before we let you get to your salt event tonight?
00:59:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup.
00:59:45
RICK JAMES
Uh huh.
00:59:48
Big daddy
I mean back in the day with the pickup trucks with the blades with the just the power angle blade on the front of a skid steer and the versatility of being able to spin around on a skid steer versus put it in reverse do a three-point turn turn the truck around go the other way or throwing your arm over the seat turning your head backwards and flying backwards as fast as you could for a mile and a half to do the next row Dude, my neck, my neck is fucked up from all the years of doing that.
01:00:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Y'all Yes under percent hundred percent
01:00:14
Big daddy
I go to the chiropractor, there's days I lean over and I'm like, oh my God, I can't move. Grabs my head and goes, snap, okay, you're back in line. That's what it's from. Guaranteed, guaranteed, guaranteed.
01:00:23
RICK JAMES
yeah yeah
01:00:26
Big daddy
But now all of the products that we're doing, it works so well with the service end because it's like, boy, if I had something that could do this, okay, let me see what I can do.
01:00:36
Big daddy
Blake and Nick go do it. if I well this isn't working can you do this with it sure let's adjust and move and do that you know you you get your people at the shows that'll give you shit and go oh look you found out that was that didn't work and you changed it and made this um it's called evolution things change all the time things people figure things out they make them better
01:00:50
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah.
01:00:53
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:00:57
Big daddy
you know oh hey you know here's a good idea let's put the antenna in the windshield so the punk-ass kids don't go and snap them off the fender like they used to do gee that's innovation did you that was there a problem with the antenna getting broke off sure there was and they addressed the problem and that's no different than what Arctic Zoo Products does if there's a problem we address the problem if there's a situation that a contractor needs something specific we address that I'm not gonna make a million different things to fit everybody's needs but I'm gonna make something pretty damn close
01:00:58
RICK JAMES
Great.
01:01:27
Big daddy
that is going to work for those people and if somebody says boy ah if that mow board was just six inches higher or if that wing just went out six inches further that's all stuff that gets taken into consideration just like I said earlier with Case the suggestions we make on changing equipment Case wasn't doing snow Case didn't do jack shit with snow so they are like a sponge on taking as much advice from large snow contractors such as ourselves on trying to make the best machine possible that is gonna fit a construction contractor and a snow plower.
01:02:02
Big daddy
That is what they're trying to do, so that machine is versatile all the way around. Because equipment sales don't stop for them now. It's not like, all right, we're fizzling out.
01:02:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
01:02:11
Big daddy
After the first of the year, you see some orders start getting placed for some machines, an excavator, a backhaul, because spring's gonna be coming and they're gonna need their new equipment ready to work.
01:02:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:02:21
Big daddy
This shit goes on the entire time. all year long because people are needing it for snow they're needing it for the summer stuff they're needing it for all that kind of thing you know so from what it was back in the day 33 years ago to what it is now is complete night and day I love I really love working for this company I don't know how I'm ever gonna find the ability to be able to retire because I'm gonna miss doing this I get pissed off on nights I get stressed out when people do dumb shit
01:02:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hell yeah.
01:02:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, it shows.
01:02:45
RICK JAMES
I mean, yeah, a bit.
01:02:53
Big daddy
you know I wish I had a company like you jar where everybody did everything the way they were supposed to and and did everything right and everything was perfect every night
01:02:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, snow guys?
01:03:01
RICK JAMES
Yeah,
Personal Anecdotes and Future Plans
01:03:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
01:03:02
RICK JAMES
that'd be fun.
01:03:02
Big daddy
yeah but I get pissed off about shit I'm like what the fuck am I doing out here in the middle of the night this is absolute bullshit but when the Sun comes up in the morning and you cruise the lots and everything's done and I can make that phone call to Randy and say hey boss everything's all done hey man good job thanks that just makes it all worth it right there and then
01:03:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
01:03:23
Big daddy
you go home you get the few hours of sleep you can get you look at the freaking weather report again when's it coming again you're glutton for punishment and I don't think that's ever gonna change you do you do you know years back I had a little seal coating business that I did driveways in the evening and stuff like that you know just something for some play money in that and there was no weather here it was good and they had a convention down in Kentucky
01:03:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup.
01:03:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:03:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup. Exactly. And you get pissed off. You get pissed off when there's nothing coming for a week or two.
01:03:39
RICK JAMES
I don't know. Yeah.
01:03:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup.
01:03:53
Big daddy
hey Randy can I slip out of here for a couple days go yeah sure go ahead no problem went out to this place I got up at 2 o'clock in the morning to take a leak and it's fucking snowing and everything's dusted over I freaked out because my mentality knew that there's something going on and I should be doing it I started calling people waking them up they're like what do you call me for there's nothing going on I forgot where I was I forgot that I wasn't at home
01:04:18
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:04:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
a
01:04:21
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:04:22
Big daddy
I saw snow I kicked into gear and I reacted and it ended up nothing was even up here they're like just stop calling us and go back to bed I couldn't go back to sleep because I knew I was supposed to be doing something it's a freaking disease man it's a disease I'm gonna have to hope that there's a beach coma or something like that in Florida for me to be able to do something there I just you know with the hurricanes that came recently they were out there with loaders and everything else I'm like okay look there is something I could do there
01:04:22
RICK JAMES
but
01:04:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
01:04:26
RICK JAMES
ah
01:04:31
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:04:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh man, that's great. It is, it definitely is. Oh.
01:04:45
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:04:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
There you go.
01:04:52
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:04:53
Big daddy
but no, no, no, no, no, no, not going to do that.
01:04:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Are you gonna, are you retiring soon? You gonna retire? No.
01:04:57
Big daddy
Just, just maybe relocate, but i don't I don't know.
01:04:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
There you go.
01:04:59
Big daddy
I don't know if it's going to be anytime soon or not. No, you know, there's a lot going on here.
01:05:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
01:05:03
Big daddy
The company's doing great. I'm enjoying what I'm doing. My wife understands that and you know, she's just, we'll we'll see what's what we'll see.
01:05:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
If you love what you're doing, you never go to work.
01:05:11
Big daddy
What's what we have a place there.
01:05:11
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Good.
01:05:13
Big daddy
We have a place there so we can go back and forth. You can get her fill and you know, do that kind of thing. And, and she's okay with that now, but.
01:05:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Good for you.
01:05:20
RICK JAMES
good
01:05:21
Big daddy
there comes time when she drops the hammer and says that's it I'm done with this Illinois so but yeah and we're just getting started here winter's just getting rolling so we'll we should see some interesting things happen here now for sure yep yep no doubt we've got we've got a
01:05:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh man.
01:05:26
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:05:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:05:33
RICK JAMES
Yeah, hopefully we get out there. for Yeah, some storm chasing out there, hopefully.
01:05:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. We're going to see you soon. Hopefully.
01:05:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Storm chasing with
Innovation and Industry Impact
01:05:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Arctic.
01:05:43
Big daddy
We've got a huge influx of those of that Razorback R and&D program so they're putting all those together now to get those in people's hands we're looking for the feedback on that and I just think I think that that is just going to cause an enormous ripple in the market and in the industry period once they get it in their hands are going to realize what it's capable of and try and figure out how they did without it.
01:05:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome.
01:06:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh yeah.
01:06:06
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. I'm excited.
01:06:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
100%. 100%.
01:06:10
RICK JAMES
I'm excited.
01:06:11
Big daddy
ye
01:06:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it's it's making the old guard truck plow manufacturers very nervous. I guarantee it. Because why would you not go with something like that or a snow power?
01:06:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Something like like those innovative thinking, it's making these straight blades and these regular V plows and all these plows that they've been pushing on us for years with little to no innovation.
01:06:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
it's They're dinosaurs. They're dinosaurs.
01:06:35
Big daddy
But they work. They work. Don't discount those that way, Steve.
01:06:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
They do work, but that but we're all about efficiency, right, John?
01:06:37
RICK JAMES
It worked.
01:06:39
Big daddy
Don't discount those that way.
01:06:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, no, but we're all about efficiency in this business because the margins are getting tighter and tighter.
01:06:42
Big daddy
Absolutely.
01:06:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
You got to be as efficient as possible to keep your profit margin where you need it.
01:06:46
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:06:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
And those plows are, they serve a purpose, but if there's more efficient means to do it with what you have, why wouldn't you do that?
01:06:59
RICK JAMES
Mm
01:07:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Why wouldn't you go with a more efficient plow?
01:07:02
Big daddy
My speech at the show.
01:07:03
RICK JAMES
hmm.
01:07:04
Big daddy
when I tell people about the plow and they ask me, why would I want to go with this versus that avalanche or that protect or that RSC? Okay, those guys all did a great job of introducing the snow pusher to the market.
01:07:16
Big daddy
It made a big difference on getting stuff cleaned up.
01:07:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
01:07:20
Big daddy
We have just taken it to the next level.
01:07:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes.
01:07:22
Big daddy
And we've done the same thing with the razorback and snow wing line.
01:07:23
RICK JAMES
no
01:07:26
Big daddy
We have taken a plow that worked for people and we've taken it to the next level.
01:07:29
RICK JAMES
Yep. Mm hmm.
01:07:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
hu
01:07:34
Big daddy
Do you want to jump on the boat or do you want to wave at us from shore when we're sailing away?
01:07:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, that's it. Either up your game or you're going to get left behind.
01:07:41
Big daddy
Up your game or up your ass? Figure it out.
01:07:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's it. A hundred percent.
01:07:43
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:07:43
Big daddy
ah
01:07:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
I agree. And hopefully like ah innovation is great for everybody.
01:07:45
Big daddy
you know
01:07:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
So hopefully, you know, that raises the bar and now everybody else is going to come in and raise and keep raising the bar. Cause that's the only prayer we have. Everybody, all customers have less money to spend.
01:07:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
So unless there's more efficient ways of doing what we do, you know, we're all going to start making less money in the years to come. So we got to get more efficient.
01:08:06
Big daddy
Do you run the same trucks every year? Do you run the same trucks every year? Every single year keep running the same trucks.
01:08:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes. Yep.
01:08:12
Big daddy
No, you change them out in a few years.
01:08:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I don't.
01:08:14
Big daddy
You upgrade them. you you You get out of a stick shift and you get in an automatic.
01:08:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
We don't do enough.
01:08:19
Big daddy
You get out of a straight blade and you go to a V blade. Now you're getting out of a V blade and you're going to the Razorback. which is going to scoop that plow better than that V plow did.
01:08:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yup.
01:08:30
Big daddy
It's going to angle that plow and give you more of a knockdown by not having to have this super ass big plow on your truck that's going to fold up to be compact to fit through a toll booth, to make it through a drive-through lane for a teller.
01:08:43
Big daddy
You're going to open that sucker up in the open lot and get it done with that one guy. With that one guy.
01:08:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, no, it's, it's great.
01:08:49
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:08:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's definitely great. I can't wait to see it. I can't wait to see it with the new head gear. That's going to be tremendous.
01:08:57
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah.
01:08:58
Big daddy
Now they took my truck down to the shop the other day and they did some ah some wiring checking and stuff like that for it and I'm excited to get one on my truck. I had a ah retrofit on there. I just didn't like the pump setup that was on it from the manufacturer that I had.
01:09:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
01:09:12
Big daddy
um But our setup, holy smoke. You're going to be able to play table tennis with the but the wings on it because then things pop back and forth so fast.
01:09:20
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:09:21
Big daddy
You're not dicking around, holding the button, waiting, going, okay, let's go make the turn. Okay, now I can drop the blade and I'm angling to the left. I am driving and I am working the plow like a joystick.
01:09:33
Big daddy
as if I was like doing one of those Nintendo games where you're snowboarding and you're moving the stick and the guys going back and forth.
01:09:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
01:09:38
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:09:40
Big daddy
You're doing that with the with the controls for the plow and you're going down the aisle and going around this island and you're keeping the plow straight as you're turning because you're angling where you want to go, keeping all that snow in it.
01:09:52
Big daddy
And I'm taking all the snow from the front of the store and putting it all the way out in the back 40 with no crumbs.
01:09:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
01:09:59
Big daddy
Nothing laying out there, no roll off off the edge, nothing and because of the way that that thing is hooked and scooped.
01:10:05
RICK JAMES
Nice.
01:10:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Can't wait to see it.
01:10:05
Big daddy
It's stupid. It's stupid.
01:10:06
RICK JAMES
It's going to be fun.
01:10:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Can't wait.
01:10:08
Big daddy
It's stupid.
01:10:09
RICK JAMES
Ours will be here soon.
01:10:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Can't wait
Team Contributions and Podcast Reach
01:10:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
to see it.
01:10:10
Big daddy
Yep.
01:10:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think, uh, I actually think that's who we really gotta, we gotta call Spencer and have him line up Blake next.
01:10:17
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:10:17
Big daddy
Yeah.
01:10:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Talk to Blake about it.
01:10:18
Big daddy
Oh man. Yeah.
01:10:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
If, I mean, if there's a busier guy at Arctic, then you, John, would it be Blake?
01:10:20
Big daddy
Get your pencil.
01:10:25
Big daddy
It would be Blake as far as the engineering end of it goes at the factory itself.
01:10:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:10:29
Big daddy
I mean, Lucas is overloaded. He has an assistant because he's got so much going on, making sure that the nest is flowing right, making sure that the service end of Arctic is flowing right.
01:10:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah. but
01:10:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Lucas is yeah.
01:10:38
Big daddy
you know just He has all of that going on.
01:10:40
RICK JAMES
Lucas slumped.
01:10:42
Big daddy
Spencer is filling in the gaps everywhere to make sure that this is a tight knit ship.
01:10:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Yeah.
01:10:43
RICK JAMES
He is.
01:10:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Lucas, you can't even bother. You can't even bother Lucas.
01:10:46
RICK JAMES
I do, I try to. yeah He always gets back to me eventually.
01:10:48
Big daddy
Yeah.
01:10:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, he does.
01:10:50
Big daddy
you know
01:10:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
But like, I feel bad texting him or anything. Cause you know, like he's got so much stuff going on. Like he, he came on to do the episode.
01:10:57
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:10:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
We were, we were happy to get him the one time, but we'll see. But yeah, I think, uh, I've heard Blake is, uh, once he goes into the, uh, into the think tank there, he he's not coming out for a while.
01:11:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
He's a super busy guy. Once he gets an idea, he's trying to upgrade or or roll with.
01:11:14
Big daddy
Or as young as that kid is, he has got so much in his mind and he just, he executes it onto the computer.
01:11:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
So. um
01:11:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:11:23
Big daddy
You know, I had mentioned to you guys before about me being the old dinosaur and them kicking me to the curb. Nope. He sends me stuff all the time. Hey, I'm thinking of this. What do you think of that? do You think that's going to work on that end? Because if he is not sure, he double checks with other people.
01:11:36
Big daddy
It isn't his way or no way.
01:11:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
01:11:38
Big daddy
He double checks with other people to make sure that we're all on the same page before he wastes the time to do that.
01:11:38
RICK JAMES
Right.
01:11:45
Big daddy
And that helps us excel as well. you know Lucas is a patio of paver bricks over here.
01:11:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
01:11:52
Big daddy
Blake is a driveway of paver bricks over here. Spencer is that sand that fills it all in to make it whole and make it all solid one piece. He takes care of the marketing to make sure that what Blake designed to build is getting marketed the right way to make sure it's going to sell.
01:12:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
01:12:08
Big daddy
Lucas is over here making sure that the equipment is going to keep functioning, getting in and out of the door and moving the way it is so that Arctic itself can keep functioning. So between the plows coming in the right way from the factory, the machines coming in from Lucas Spencer, making sure that we're being advertised right to have the work to do these jobs.
01:12:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
01:12:28
Big daddy
It just, man, we could talk about this for hours because there's so much involved here.
01:12:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
But the triangle. Yeah, the triangle, Randy.
01:12:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:12:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
ran Randy talked about the triangle ah with the three of them and it really is.
01:12:37
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:12:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Lucky had three sons.
01:12:41
Big daddy
No.
01:12:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
needed He needed the three legs.
01:12:42
Big daddy
Yeah. Yeah.
01:12:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
but
01:12:45
Big daddy
And they're doing it. They are doing it and they are killing it. And I just, I don't think Randy could be any prouder. I really don't. I really don't really don't.
01:12:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, no, you could tell.
01:12:54
RICK JAMES
That's great.
01:12:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
You could tell talking to him.
01:12:55
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Oh, hell yeah.
01:12:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
You guys are killing it.
01:12:58
Big daddy
you know I've known these kids all their lives and just to see what they're doing now and where this company is going is just here well i you can't see it on the camera folks but I got goosebumps because when I think about it I know what's got us to this point I try to explain to you guys in these episodes on what has got us there but it's not the same as living it and experiencing it yourself it's not
01:12:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Whew.
01:13:09
RICK JAMES
ye
01:13:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, I'm sure.
01:13:22
Big daddy
You can relate because you're experiencing your own growth.
01:13:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm sure.
01:13:25
Big daddy
You experience your own changes. You're seeing the equipment that's becoming available to you.
01:13:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
I can't even imagine.
01:13:31
Big daddy
you know these These guys coming on now are getting handed
01:13:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:13:36
Big daddy
the finished product. They're not having to go through the the shovel and going through the the small little blade on a pickup truck and doing that.
01:13:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:13:38
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah.
01:13:45
Big daddy
We got past all that. We've got them right up to a game right now. They're going to jump into it with both feet in with a skid and a sectional and an assault truck and we're going to work.
01:13:50
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:13:55
Big daddy
They're not going to deal with the bullshit that we dealt with the little bit of bullshit that you guys dealt with.
01:13:58
RICK JAMES
No.
01:14:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, it's for you.
01:14:01
Big daddy
You know, people I can't see spending, I can't see spending $100,000 on assault truck.
01:14:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's gotta.
01:14:06
Big daddy
You can, if you see what it does for you, you know, it been, it is, I'm just happy to be part of the team, man, but if you're a part of the team, you know, well, I just, I want to say that these,
01:14:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:14:08
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:14:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. For you.
01:14:11
RICK JAMES
All right.
01:14:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's gotta be incredible though, for you to be there 33 years and and see how it's morphed into what it is today is it's just gotta be amazing for you.
01:14:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome.
01:14:25
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:14:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Amen.
01:14:27
RICK JAMES
Awesome.
01:14:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, you got anything else for big daddy before we let him go salt, ju Jay?
01:14:31
RICK JAMES
I better let him get to work.
01:14:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Go ahead, John.
01:14:34
Big daddy
These people need to listen to you guys because you guys are out there trying to get the message across as well. By talking to the different customers, they're taking a little bit from each one of them, I mean the contractors, not the customers, um each one of them and they're gonna put their own thing together and you guys are helping other people succeed by doing this kind of thing. So hats off to you guys, the Snow Jobs crew, you guys are doing it and now we've got this new program coming out the the storm chasers that's going to be amazing amazing we're doing it we're doing it boys we're doing it so
01:15:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm hmm.
01:15:07
RICK JAMES
Yeah, it's been great.
01:15:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Try and try and elevate it one one day at a time.
01:15:10
RICK JAMES
It'd be fun.
01:15:13
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:15:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're trying. Thank you very much, John. We appreciate it. We definitely approach who knew who knew coming up on two years, right?
01:15:18
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:15:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're coming up on two years.
01:15:22
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:15:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're coming up on episode 100 this week. It's like, holy crap, man. Well, even though we've done what, 140, I think total.
01:15:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah. Something like that.
01:15:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think 140. But yeah, it's ah it's been a trip. Definitely been a trip. We got ah we heard from our listener in Australia. We Jeremy sent him some extra merchandise.
01:15:41
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:15:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
He actually placed a merchandise order. Jeremy loaded up a box and sent it because we couldn't believe we actually had real listeners in Australia. And they do push snow there. Crazy.
01:15:52
Big daddy
Very cool, very cool.
01:15:52
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:15:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it's wild.
01:15:54
RICK JAMES
that
01:15:54
Big daddy
you're You're touching more people than you actually think.
01:15:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
and
01:15:58
Big daddy
I mean, I know what your numbers show in that, but yep, exactly, exactly.
01:15:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Two idiots talking snow. Who knew?
01:16:02
RICK JAMES
yeah Thanks a lot, buddy.
01:16:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Uh, well, John, thanks for the time again, bud. We appreciate it. We know how busy you are, brother.
01:16:09
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:16:09
Big daddy
Absolutely
Conclusion and Future Highlights
01:16:10
Big daddy
guys, love what you're doing, keep up the good work.
01:16:10
RICK JAMES
Look forward to talking to you.
01:16:12
Big daddy
And who knows, we might talk again soon if we got another topic that comes up and we got to get knocked down.
01:16:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
01:16:18
RICK JAMES
We will.
01:16:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:16:19
RICK JAMES
well
01:16:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
you are we're here anytime but uh yeah we'll let john go get to his salt run i know he's itching to do that so that'll do it guys for episode two of the snow jobs arctic army roll call as always we got to thank john again for the time uh this is two straight episodes that that he's given us the time and this is probably one of the busiest guys in snow anywhere all right so At his busiest time a year too. So that was fantastic Again, stay tuned for these coming at you every month with somebody from Arctic ah Hopefully we'll get Blake on next if ah he's not in the middle of his next genius idea that has to get Completed before he talks to us. So everybody have a great weekend. Be safe. Thanks again to John. Keep pushing